Duncans deaths

TT, Dec. 4: Three residents of tea gardens owned by the Duncans Goenka Group died of anaemia and suspected malnutrition in the past 24 hours taking the death toll in the Duncans plantations to seven in the past four days.

Since April this year, around 60 residents, mostly workers, of tea estates owned by the group have died.

Early this morning, Loto Kharia, 68, a retired worker of Hantapara Tea Estate, died in his home.

"He had been suffering from tuberculosis for the past two months and he was under treatment at the Birpara State General Hospital. He was discharged around a week ago. His condition deteriorated a couple of days back. But his family did not have money to take him to the hospital again. He died this morning," said a garden source.

"The family could not provide proper nutritious food, which is necessary for a TB patient, to him because of lack money," he added.

On Birpara Tea Estate, Sanchari Oraon, 45, a worker suffering from tuberculosis, died this morning.

"For the past nine months, we have not been getting wages and rations regularly. The situation has become so bad that most workers don't even have the money to buy basic items. The state is only providing rice and wheat. My mother had grown weak because of the disease and lack of proper food. Her condition turned serious and she died today," said Sanchari's son Joseph.

Today, Renu Mahali, 50, a worker of Nagaisuree Tea Estate, died at Malbazar subdivisional hospital. She had anaemia. "She was admitted to the primary health centre at Mangalbari under Metelli block a few days ago. On Tuesday, she was shifted to the hospital in Malbazar where she died this morning," a source said.

Government health officials, however, said the deaths were because of various ailments and not lack of food or treatment.

"Health camps are being held regularly in these tea gardens and doctors are examining people. Those who need to be admitted to hospitals are being referred immediately. Others are being provided with proper medicines," Prakash Mridha, the chief medical officer of health of Jalpaiguri, said. "There have been some deaths in these gardens but those who died were suffering from different ailments. The deaths were not because of lack of food or medical care."

Yesterday, two workers of Birpara garden, owned by the Duncans, in Alipurduar district had died purportedly because of lack of food and treatment.